


he's a work in progress

by sundrymunity



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: M/M, because i adore yamaguchi and managed 2.5k words about him, hinata's a ball of sunshine, it's a feel good fic i promise, kageyama is dumb as always, tsukishima is tsukishima, yamaguchi is a precious child who needs to be protected
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-08
Updated: 2014-08-08
Packaged: 2018-02-12 08:42:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,577
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2102904
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sundrymunity/pseuds/sundrymunity
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tadashi takes one step forward, but everyone's numbers are still blurs on their backs. Each time he thinks he's caught up, that he's gotten closer, the distance has widened. His feet move forward steadily, beyond their own will, but honestly?</p>
<p>He doesn't think he'll reach them.</p>
            </blockquote>





	he's a work in progress

**Author's Note:**

> written for a friend! he was very happy with it in the end, which i'm totally thankful for, so i thought why not post it too?
> 
> it's got spoilers up to chapter like, 90 something, so you should totally catch up on the manga. it's nothing hugely groundbreaking though!

Tadashi takes one step forward, but everyone's numbers are still blurs on their backs. Each time he thinks he's caught up, that he's gotten closer, the distance has widened. His feet move forward steadily, beyond their own will, but honestly?

 

He doesn't think he'll reach them.

 

  
He  _wants_ to - that's true, he really does want to - but it doesn't seem to be enough. How does Hinata put it? There's a wall in front of him, a wall he has to overcome, but there's no cracks and holds to put his feet into. It's as clear as glass. He can see right through it, to the view on the other side, but no matter how much he pounds against the wall it won't break. Tadashi presses his forehead to the cold surface and squeezes his eyes shut, clenches his fists, and wonders if Hinata or any of the others had this sort of experience.   


 

Probably not.

 

Hinata'd always talked about a wall, sure, but he used his amazing jump and leapt right over the people in his way. Kageyama's seems less evident, but it's there, and even he's making his own cracks in the rock to get over it. Tsukki... Tsukki's wall was more of a cage he'd put himself in, and with the key in reach he could get out at any time. And he was looking at it more seriously lately.

 

  
Tadashi watches the backs of his teammates from behind the glass as it fogs up and sees his pimply, freckled reflection in it. He looks at the cowardly him and remembers his own words to Tsukki -  _"What more do you need than pride?!"_  - and can't meet his own eyes. He feels his short nails starting to cut into his palm as he tightens his fists and sits with his back against the glass, his number to theirs.   


 

\--

 

"Yamaguchi!!" Shouyou's yell resonates across the gymnasium and Yamaguchi looks up from mopping, tilting his head to the side. The caller grins as he bounces over, the only ball left on the court currently balanced on his head, and steps from one foot to the other as he chatters. "Yamaguchi, do you wanna hang out today? There's this super cool movie I wanted to go see, and I think you'd like it too!"

 

  
Like he'd ever ask Kageyama. Unless it related to volleyball somehow, Shouyou's sure he'd get rejected in no time flat. They hung out together a lot, he  _guesses_ , but it didn't really... feel like friendship or anything like that. It's not something he'd want to bring to a movie theater. His stomach flips at the idea and he misses Yamaguchi's question at first, so he apologizes and asks him to repeat it.   


 

Yamaguchi hesitates, like he's heard it before, and does. "Sure, but... Why don't you ask someone else? I'm sure Yachi-san wouldn't mind..."

 

Shouyou's face warms immensely as he shakes his head.

 

"No way! Taking a girl out... That's impossible! I mean, I don't have a problem with Yachi-san or Ki-- Shimizu-san or anything like that, but..." He tilts his head and catches the volleyball, his heart pounding. "I don't think Yachi-san would say yes to me? She's really cute and friendly and we're both first years but I think you've got a better shot with her than me, Yamaguchi."

 

This is apparently news to his teammate, because his face goes red and he shakes his head as fast as Shouyou had. Though he answers more slowly.

 

"I... don't think so."

 

Shouyou cocks his head to the side and stares at Yamaguchi. There's no reason Yachi-san wouldn't, right? Right. "Why not?"

 

Taken aback, the pinch server leans on his mop and looks away, shrugging. Shouyou looks over too, at Yachi-san, and grins when she meets their gazes with a wave. They return it, and he catches Yamaguchi's embarrassed expression out of the corner of his eye as the other turns away after.

 

"She just seems to be the kind of girl who'd like someone, you know, who was... cool, I guess," he explains (lamely, in Shouyou's opinion). "I'm not like that."

 

Shouyou stares at him in silence long enough for Yamaguchi to meet his eyes curiously. There's a quiet anger building in his body - how could Yamaguchi not think he was cool?! - and he turns around, trying to serve the volleyball into the container as Kageyama rolls it past. It ends up bouncing off the other balls and right into the king's face.

 

The world stands still for all of a second before Shouyou grabs Yamaguchi's clammy hand and bolts out of the gymnasium shrieking an apology at the top of his lungs.

 

The run has left them both breathing hard, though Shouyou's the one sprawling across the ground. Yamaguchi looks worse for wear.

 

"You--" Shouyou swallows, throat dry, and tries again. His chest is aching in a painfully good way that reminds him of races that he's had against Kageyama (the score's 250 wins, 251 losses now) and he takes a deep breath as he chokes out his words. "You're cool, Yamaguchi."

 

Yamaguchi stares down at him dumbfounded, then presses his lips together and shakes his head. He sits, wiping his face off with his shirt, and Shouyou closes his eyes as he listens to the sound of his heart in his ears. Relaxing.

 

"Compared to you, Kageyama, Tsukki... Even Yachi-san." That's every first year, yeah. "You're all really cool, and you're doing something to help the team, and--"

 

"So are you!" The anger rolls in full force and Shouyou struggles to sit up, glaring at Yamaguchi. "You and that bastard've got a real bad habit, you know, comparing yourselves to others. That guy-- He's my rival too, right? I gotta compare myself to him because I'm not going to lose to him just because he's the tallest person on our team and he's better than me at a lot of things and it kind of ticks me off that he makes fun of me so much when he doesn't half-asses everything and..."

 

He deflates momentarily, trying to think of his original point, and Yamaguchi brings his knees up to his chest, chin propped up. Shouyou huffs.

 

"I guess it's the same thing as when Kageyama said I was wasting my talents. I'm mad 'cause Tsukishima's tall and good at blocking and he doesn't let things bother him on the court that affects his playing... But he just acts like he does." Shouyou thinks, sways back and forth, and peers at Yamaguchi. "Didja have that talk with him like you wanted to? He's been kind of different lately."

 

"Yeah, I did."

 

  
But it doesn't seem all that good? Shouyou leans forward on his toes, confused. Yamaguchi's staring at him, but it seems more like he's looking  _through_ him. It's an odd, very unwelcome feeling that Shouyou absolutely hates more than anything in the entire world - vastly more than being blocked, just a little bit more than his loss in middle school - and it still ignites something in him though he knows Yamaguchi's not doing it on purpose.   


 

"I'm glad Tsukki's doing something now, too," he finally says, eyes focusing onto the sky. "... I have to keep going too."

 

Shouyou guesses that might be more to himself or something, but he still gets a twinge of competitiveness in his heart as he grins and points at Yamaguchi, his finger an inch away from the other's taken aback expression.

 

  
"Even if we're a team and we'll all keep going, I won't lose to you, either! That serve thing you practice with Noya-san is really good and cool and something I can't do-- I don't even think  _Kageyama_ can do it, but he's got his killer serve anyway. You're really hard working like that! It's taken me for _ever_  to not hit the net with my serve, and I still mess up! But you've seriously got it! So you're someone I have to watch out for, too, just like Tsukishima and the second years!" Yamaguchi's eyebrows raise and his eyes widen, but his lips press into a line his face settles into a look Shouyou knows proudly as determination... as uncertain as it looks. His grin widens as he stands and holds out his hand. "On the court, anyway. Do you want to see that movie I was talking about? I don't want to go back to the school."   


 

"You ride a bike here, don't you? What about that?"

 

"I'll just get it tomorrow. Um, if I don't have enough money to pay the fare though, I'll just climb the gate and get it..."

 

Yamaguchi chuckles and shakes his head, standing on his own as Shouyou withdraws his hand. "Okay. We'll probably be punished tomorrow if we don't go back and apologize, though..."

 

Oh, crud, right. That'd be bad. Shouyou hops from one foot to the other, thinking of everything he'd left behind as the thoguhts dawn on him, and grimaces. Yamaguchi's right. Ugh.

 

"This suuucks," he whines as he pivots and follows Yamaguchi back to the school, trying to match the other's strides and ending up in front of him a little. "We're gonna get extra laps for days."

 

But that's okay in its own way, Shouyou thinks. It just means more practice. And Yamaguchi - as tired as he looks at the thought - seems okay with it too.

 

\--

 

Yamaguchi is essential, just like everyone else on the team.

 

  
Tobio rolls his eyes at Hinata's dumb plea of him to be nice to the freckled boy - they're always on civil terms, it's  _Tsukishima_ who he's got problems with  _(that bastard)_  - and chides him for sticking his nose where it doesn't belong.   


 

  
Hinata huffs and stays in his personal space ( _not that Tobio minds_ ) until it's agreed that he'll say something to the other first year.   


 

It comes out to be as awkward as Tobio imagined it might.

 

"Y-You're working very hard," he tells Yamaguchi as they take down the net. The other's staring at him like he's grown a second head and honestly? With Hinata watching them so sternly? Tobio feels like he has. He sees Hinata make some kind of 'go on!!' motion with his hands and scowls. "That's good."

 

Yamaguchi rubs his arm and looks around. (Looking for an escape route out of the awkward air settling between them.) "Uh, yeah. Thanks."

 

_Nailed it._

 

Hinata doesn't think so, apparently, because he pops Tobio's proud balloon with the sharp needle of reality as soon as they're alone.

 

  
"I know you suck at giving praise, but sheesh! That  _really_ sucked!"   


 

  
He scowls at the shorter, grabbing Hinata's head roughly and not letting go despite the cries of pain. "I shouldn't  _need_ to tell him this stuff! Of course he's getting better!  _Everyone_ is! He's been practicing just as hard as we have, and honestly if it weren't for Tsukishima's height Yamaguchi would definitely be the middle blocker you're contending with."   


 

That's just fact. The only good thing about Tsukishima was his height. Yamaguchi had been working hard to make that jump-float serve something useful, just like how he'd been trying to perfect that stopped toss. From what Tobio could see, Tsukishima was getting more involved in blocking... But other than that, he half-assed what he could.

 

  
That  _really_ pisses him off.   


 

Hinata's fingers wiggle under his palm and he lets loosens his grip, sticking his hand in his pocket instead. The shorter teen rubs his head muttering loud enough for Tobio to hear. "Your Iron Grip's really not something to mess with... No wonder you can catch the ball one handed..."

 

"What's that gotta do with anything?"

 

"I'll beat you like that, too!"

 

"You wish, dumbass!"

 

As Hinata stretches for their race to the bike rack, Tobio spots Yamaguchi striding away quickly. He wonders if the other overheard them.

 

"Good," he mutters under his breath. Then he wouldn't have to try it face to face again.

 

\--

 

  
' _You take Tadashi-kun for granted, don't you?_ ' Kei remembers Akiteru saying once. He'd denied it then, but as the gap between he and Yamaguchi became apparent Kei realized that maybe, just maybe, it'd been true.   


 

Not that he'd admit it to anyone.

 

The memory comes up randomly as he's watching Yamaguchi eat his leftover fries slowly, probably concerned about a breakout he might have because of it. It's kind of a treat thing. They'd done well on their tests today, and so the two thought it'd be nice to grab a bite to eat in celebration.

 

  
Well. Yamaguchi suggested it. Kei didn't really have anything else going on - and going home while Akiteru was in town was  _asking_ to be pestered until midnight - so he'd shrugged and came with. He didn't mind spending time with Yamaguchi, after all. They were on the same level - just regular, ordinary commoners who didn't have a shred of hope in topping talented people like Hinata and Kageyama.   


 

(It helps that Yamaguchi's always been the only one who sought him outside of school activities.)

 

"Tsukki," Yamaguchi starts as he twirls one of the fries. Kei gives a replying hum, preoccupied with the way he can see his friend's face reflected in the glass. "Don't you think that Kageyama's been acting weird recently?"

 

"Oh? What else is new. That guy's a total headcase sometimes." He laughs at his own joke, and Yamaguchi cracks a smile in the glass. He still looks concerned though, so Kei puts up his best foot forward and glances at the real Yamaguchi. "Are you telling me what he did or not?"

 

"Sorry, Tsukki! It wasn't anything really, I guess, he just suddenly said that I'd been working very hard lately and that was a good thing."

 

Kei watches the way Yamaguchi's features soften into a happy smile, red stretching across the freckles that marked his face. Utterly pleased that someone had complimented him. It stirs something unsettling in Kei's stomach and he turns his attention back to the reflection, where the flush isn't so noticeable but the smile still remains.

 

"It's seriously creepy when he tries to be nice, isn't it? Like it's forced," he says to the glass, and he sees Yamaguchi's face strain a little. It turns into a laugh instead and the other seems to relax - or slump - back into the seat as he picks out a few short fries to eat.

 

"Yeah... I really wasn't expecting it, since we don't usually talk and all."

 

Right. Kei goes for his soda and scowls slightly when he finds it empty, sucking at air with that loud, obnoxious sound ringing out. He takes this excuse of a refill to watch Yamaguchi from afar, notes the slumped shoulders and the fries left unattended by the other. A ball of guilt tightens in his chest and he overfills the cup too much, cursing quietly as he cleans his hand and notices a special on milkshakes in the restaurant today. New flavors, or something.

 

He buys two and sets one in front of Yamaguchi, who jumps at the sudden return and quizzical at the treat.

 

"There were new flavors," the excuse starts out, "and apparently it was buy one, get one free."

 

Yamaguchi thanks him and they end up trading off on flavors. Kei watches the reflection's freckles rise as his friend fills their area with talk, but the guilt stays.

 

\--

 

It takes a while, but Tadashi finds that the people on the other side were closer than he expected them to be.


End file.
